The disclosure is directed to a convertible sofa that can be selectively configured as a sofa and as a bed. More particularly, the disclosure is directed to a convertible sofa having articulated arm rests that are configured as armrests when the convertible sofa is in a sofa configuration and that fold to a generally or relatively flat configuration when the convertible sofa is in a bed configuration.
Convertible sofas having arm rests are known in the art. Such convertible sofas typically have either a pull-out conversion mechanism or a jackknife conversion mechanism. In either case, the armrests typically are fixed. That is, they assume a single configuration regardless of whether the convertible sofa is in a sofa configuration or a bed configuration.
When a typical pull-out convertible sofa is placed in the bed configuration, the resulting sleeping surface is oriented such that the arm rests flank the upper body of a user lying on the sleeping surface. As such, the arm rests may serve as side bolsters when the sofa is in a bed configuration. This may inhibit persons from entering and exiting the bed.
When a typical jackknife convertible sofa is placed in the bed configuration, the resulting sleeping surface is oriented such that the head and feet of a user lying on the sleeping surface are adjacent respective ones of the arm rests. As such, the arm rests may serve as head and foot boards. This may present a problem for taller users whose height exceeds the distance between the arm rests.
Also known are jackknife convertible sofas lacking integral arm rests. Such jackknife convertible sofas may be provided with removable, auxiliary arm rests. Such arm rests typically are made of an upholstered foam material. They can be attached to the convertible sofa when the convertible sofa is in a sofa configuration, and removed from the convertible sofa when it is to be placed in a bed configuration. This may present a problem in that the removable arm rests may clutter the space about the convertible sofa when removed there from. Also, the attachment of the arm rests to the convertible sofa may be complicated and/or unsecure.